31 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2 What are you doing, my son? What are you doing,
fson of my womb?
What are you doing,
gson of my vows?
3 Do
hnot give your strength to women,
your ways to those
iwho destroy kings.
4 jIt is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings
kto drink wine,
or for rulers to take
lstrong drink,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and
mpervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to the one who
nis perishing,
and wine to
othose in bitter distress;
7 plet them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 qOpen your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Open your mouth,
rjudge righteously,
sdefend the rights of
tthe poor and needy.
The Woman Who Fears the Lord
10 uAn excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than
vjewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She
wseeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She
xrises while it is yet night
and
yprovides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She
zdresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She
aopens her hand to
bthe poor
and reaches out her hands to
bthe needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in
cscarlet.
22 She makes
dbed coverings for herself;
her clothing is
efine linen and
fpurple.
23 Her husband is known in
gthe gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes
hlinen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 iStrength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many
jwomen have done
kexcellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 lCharm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the
Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
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